A man has unveiled the extraordinary miniature Greek village he created in his back garden, a £10,000 passion project complete with cobbled lanes, blue-shuttered windows and its own traditional bar.
Michael Scherrer, 48, a content creator from Lake Constance in Switzerland, spent 12 months bringing the unusual attraction to life, hoping to build a sun-soaked summer escape just a few steps from his home.
Working alongside his brother, Samuel, 46, Michael transformed part of the garden into a Mediterranean-style retreat. The Greek village forms one section of a larger private theme park, which has cost around £20,000 in total. The village itself, measuring just 15 metres by 15 metres, accounts for half of that budget.
The imaginative garden attraction is packed with atmospheric rooms and themed corners inspired by different countries, seasons and ideas. Alongside the Greek village, visitors can find a small Irish bar, winding alleyways and areas designed around Halloween.
‘I wanted to make somewhere we could sit in the theme park to have a chat with our clients, so I thought of this – it took longer than you think to build because of [planning] permissions in Switzerland – and having to break for the weather,’ Michael said.
‘The idea to build the theme park came from us just wanting to garden and build. All in all, we have 1,500 square meters to build over and – we have built on 600 meters so far.’
Michael Scherrer and his brother Samuel spent a year constructing the one-of-a-kind garden attraction, designed to feel like a summer holiday escape beside his home
The £10,000 miniature Greek village includes classic cobbled streets and windows fitted with bright blue shutters
With the help of his brother, Samuel, 46, Michael soon got to work on creating his dream Mediterranean paradise – with the village forming part of a wider theme park that cost him a staggering £20,000 to build. Pictured: the war in Michael’s village
The small village was designed in a bid to recreate the atmosphere of a sun-soaked holiday destination, complete with winding cobbled streets, bright blue shutters and a traditional-style bar area.
‘Because it is summer, whenever I go in there, I feel like I am transported,’ Michael revealed.
‘We tried to build the bar point so you are completely submerged in the mini village – and it really does feel like you are there.
‘My friends come to the bar and love taking pictures – they fool their friends, and people actually believe they are on holiday.
‘My sister did it once to her co-workers, and when she came back, six different people came up to her in the office and asked her how her holiday weekend was!’
Looking ahead, Michael is hopeful that one of the small homes in the village could be used as a bedroom for visitors during the spring months.
He said: ‘I will leave the Greek village how it is right now with the homemade bar because there is not much point now it is getting closer to Halloween, when I stop working on them until spring.
‘Once spring comes though, I reckon I will put a bed in one of the little homes and make it a sort of guest room or somewhere visitors can stay.’
‘My friends come to the bar and love taking pictures – they fool their friends, and people actually believe they are on holiday,’ says Michael
The theme park is filled with magical rooms and themed areas inspired by different countries, ideas and seasons
Looking ahead, Michael is hopeful that one of the small homes in the village could be used as a bedroom for visitors during the spring months
In addition to the Greek village and Japanese garden (pictured), Michael is hoping to add a ‘fishing village and a room for guests’, and is even considering creating a ‘pirate ship’ in his innovative garden
In addition to the Greek village and Japanese garden, Michael is hoping to add a ‘fishing village and a room for guests’, and is even considering creating a ‘pirate ship’ in his garden.
Back in the UK, a Grade II-listed farmhouse in Oxfordshire with its own unique feature – a miniature Cotswolds village – was on the market, priced at £1.6million, earlier this year.
The Georgian-fronted Malt House, with origins thought to date back to the early 19th century, boasts a model village in the front garden – which is an accurate depiction of Bletchingdon, the village in which it sits.
Miniature cottages, a church, gardens and a pond are all clustered together in the front garden, making it for a fun attraction for all the family.
A listing for the house on Zoopla read: ‘You technically get dozens of houses for the price of one here: this £1.6m Oxfordshire home has its own perfect model village.
‘Starting with the extraordinary stone-built model village in its front garden, this house is full of surprises.
‘Situated in a conservation area in Bletchingdon, this listed former farmhouse has a contemporary light-filled extension, four bedrooms, a separate annex featuring a gym and clever mezzanine levels.’
